CLOSE UP J U N E | J U LY 2 0 1 4
CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS
ELI YOUNG BAND GETS
CLOSE TO FANS
MIRANDA LAMBERT
THE PLATINUM LIFE
DIERKS BENTLEY
KEEPS IT REAL ON RISER
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june | july 2014
issue date | june 2
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ELI YOUNG BAND MIRANDA LAMBERT DIERKS BENTLEY DEBUT SPOTLIGHT
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“CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL: COUNTRY’S NIGHT TO ROCK”
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COUNTRY MUSIC DJS VOCAL CARE
JOHN RICH’S “REDNECK RIVIERA’’
CMA RESEARCH MASTHEAD AND CONTRIBUTORS EVENTS CALENDAR, CU LATER, NEXT ISSUE AND ONLINE PREVIEWS
CMA’S COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME ENCORE: MAC WISEMAN
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photos: Miranda Lambert (cover) – Randee St. Nicholas (table of contents) Blu Sanders; Dierks Bentley at 2013 CMA Music Festival – John Russell; John Rich and Big Kenny – Joe Hardwick for Redneck Riviera; Eli Young Band – Brian Lazzaro
4 PULSE 14 NEW AT CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
TUESDAY AUGUST 5
HIDE THE RIVERFRONT LINEUP! Some CMA staff members got involved in a Music Fest promotional video shoot. With vehicles supplied by Chevy, they swept through Downtown Nashville, where the names Stage headliners would later be subtly added to the scenery.
TO FIND THE ARTIST NAMES, CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT CMACLOSEUP.COM
photo: Christie Goodwin
of Chevrolet Riverfront
That’s Strategic Partnerships Manager Michelle Jacobs on the left and Community Outreach Manager Tiffany Kerns on the right.
BBC = “BRAD BRINGS COUNTRY” On March 17, as part of CMA’s second annual C2C concerts and International Marketing Summits in London, the BBC Radio Theatre welcomed (l-r) photo: Ben Enos
Lee Thomas Miller, Brad Paisley, Kelley Lovelace and Chris DuBois for a songwriter summit.
ELI YOUNG BAND CELEBRATES NO.1 AT CMA ASCAP, BMI and Republic Nashville gathered at the CMA on a stormy April 28 to toast the team behind Eli Young Band’s Gold-certified No. 1 smash “Drunk Last Night,” from their charttopping album 10,000 Towns. (l-r,standing) Producers Frank Liddell & Justin
& CMA’s Brandi Simms. (front) Writers Josh Osborne & Laura Veltz.
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photo: Steve Lowry
Niebank, CMA’s Brenden Oliver, Eli Young Band’s Jon Jones, Mike Eli, James Young, Chris Thompson
PULSE by BOB DOERSCHUK
CMA SONGWRITERS SERIES REVISITS LONDON Participants and other notables gather backstage at the CMA Songwriters Series at The IndigO2 in London March 14.
photo: Anthony D’Angio
CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern, songwriter and CMA Board member Brett James, Sarah Zimmermann and Justin Davis of Striking Matches, Martina McBride, songwriter and CMA Board member Bob DiPiero and CMA Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Damon Whiteside
CMA AND BBC HOST THE MEDIA CAFÉ Bob Shennan, Director of
KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE. VISIT CMACLOSEUP.COM
BBC Music; CMA CEO Sarah Trahern; and Cassian Harrison, Channel Editor, BBC Four, welcome International Summit photo: Anthony D’Angio
attendees, BBC broadcasters and other guests to the BBC Media Café.
ALL-STAR ACTS TEAR UP THE O2 STAGE FOR C2C Rascal Flatts was among the superstars who performed at The O2 arenas in
photos: Christie Goodwin
London and Dublin.
continued on page 6...
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BIG DAY FOR BIG SMO
photo: Donn Jones
It was time to party when Big Smo showed up with his posse and plenty of his Meat Mud barbecue sauce to sign up for CMA membership.
CMA SPONSORS SET AT TIN PAN SOUTH On Thursday, March 27, the third night of the annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, CMA presented a songwriter showcase at Nashville’s Listening Room Café.
photo: Bev Moser
The event featured (l-r) Bill Anderson, Jim Beavers and Bobby Pinson.
CLEMSON CMA EDU HOSTS JOSH TURNER
photo: Cameron Rainey
Sponsored by Clemson University’s CMA EDU chapter, “Behind the Music with Josh Turner” drew 81 students to the Hendrix Student Center to meet their home-state favorite on Saturday morning, April 12.
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(l-r) CMA EDU VP Kinley Meyer, faculty advisor Mark Hosler, Turner, CMA EDU President Katie Barolak and CMA EDU Secretary Zack Robinson.
ELI YOUNG BAND
ELI YOUNG BAND IN STEP WITH FANS AT CMA MUSIC FEST by LORIE HOLLABAUGH
Some artists might cringe when presented with an old publicity photo to sign during a backstage meet-and-greet or at CMA Music Festival — but not the members of Eli Young Band.
photo: Donn Jones
For guitarist/lead vocalist Mike Eli, bassist Jon Jones, drummer Chris Thompson and guitarist James Young, vintage pics document their long journey toward their current status as hitmakers. They cherish those memories and appreciate the fact that their fans have stayed by their side for the ride. “We love CMA Fest,” said Eli. “We’ve been coming since 2006. Back then, we didn’t have any radio success. It was just us coming here and convincing people that we’re musicians. It’s just neat when people bring that original photo from 2006 and have you sign it and be so excited to show it to you. And it’s exciting for us to see that because it’s been a long road for us, and a lot of the fans who come to CMA Fest have seen us go through every step to get to where we are now.” As they relish the success of their single “Dust” (written by Jones, Young, Kyle Jacobs and Josh Osborne), the guys know they owe it to their fans and are always thinking of ways to keep that connection with them alive. Their latest outreach offered something extra with a preorder of their latest album, 10,000 Towns. They made it even more special by including a signed Polaroid with every order, getting some serious writer’s cramp in the process. continued on page 8...
E L I Y O U N G BA N D S I G N S A U TO G R A P H S A N D G R E E T S FA N S AT AT & T U - V E R S E FA N FA I R X I N S I D E M U S I C C I T Y C E N T E R I N D OW N TOW N N A S H V I L L E F R I DAY, J U N E 7 AT T H E 2 0 1 3 C M A M U S I C F E S T I VA L . CMACLOSEUP.COM
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ELI YOUNG BAND RECALLS MEMORABLE FAN ENCOUNTERS AT CMACLOSEUP.COM
E L I Y O U N G BA N D AT C M A M U S I C F E S T I VA L I N 2 0 1 3 .
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[ CHRIS THOMPSON, MIKE ELI, JAMES YOUNG and JON JONES ]
photo: Kristin Barlowe; above – Donn Jones
“It’s hard to find something that is truly unique anymore, that is one of a kind, because everything can be so mass produced and duplicated,” Jones explained. “Even if somebody has just autographed a piece of memorabilia, it doesn’t feel that special in a way. There’s just something about a Polaroid picture. We’re in the picture, we’re taking the picture, and it just feels like something different. Even before the digital age, if I could have gotten that from a band I loved, that would have been totally worth the price of admission.” EYB’s members appreciate that thrill of something that an artist signed or posed for, just for you. “Sometimes you’re sitting in the meet-and-greet, or you meet somebody at a restaurant and they say, ‘I love your music! Can I take your picture?’ As a fan, I know it’s great to have that moment and that picture, because it doesn’t exist anywhere else,” Eli said. The band members have put a premium on cultivating personal ties with fans since the earliest days of their career. From the beginning, they used meet-and-greets as opportunities to spend quality time with their fans one-on-one. “If the guys aren’t in a rush to go to the next town, they’ll go out and sign and meet people as often as possible,” said the group’s manager, George Couri of Triple 8 Management. “They’ll
ELI YOUNG BAND sign for everyone. I think that the plan is that even as they get to the point where it might seem impractical to go out and meet people and sign and take photos, they’re still gonna do it. Evidence of that is, they recently did a signing on release week and signed for over five hours. They stayed and signed until every person was done. It filled up, and we kept thinking it was going to get a little bit shorter. But people kept showing up, and they kept signing until everyone was gone. It’s hard to measure what impact that has, but it doesn’t matter. If there’s time to do it, they do it. These people are excited to get that time with them, and it makes the guys happy.” All four insist that smaller, intimate shows for radio and contest winners are particularly helpful in staying connected. For example, they enjoy holding release parties for each new album along with special events such as last year’s Eli Young Band House Party before 18,000 fans at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. (Guests included Easton Corbin, Josh Abbott Band and Thompson Square.) “I personally liked a recent show we did with Storme Warren and SiriusXM with only 20 or 30 people in the room,” said Young. “You could see the whites in everyone’s eyes and fans got to ask
us questions along the way. I really liked it.” Their love of connecting and performing has enabled the group to welcome thousands of fans nationwide as they’ve toured with Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Darius Rucker and other artists. “For any of us, some of the best moments we have in life are when we’re up on that stage in front of all those people, and they’re cheering for us,” Young reflected. “It’s just the greatest feeling when we know we’re connecting with fans and giving other people the same experience we had when we were fans.” They’ll have a special opportunity to connect with fans as they sign autographs at Nashville’s Music City Center for CMA Festival attendees in the Big Machine Label Group booth. “We just love Music Fest for that reason,” Eli said. “There’s no other genre that has anything like that. It creates a really awesome relationship between Country artists and our fans.” “That’s why people come to CMA Fest, to see who the rising stars are gonna be,” Jones added. “Stories like ours are the reason people want to keep on coming back to get autographs and pictures of someone you’ve never heard of before. It’s such a great tradition.” EliYoungBand.com; @EliYoungBand
“EVEN AS THEY GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT MIGHT SEEM IMPRACTICAL TO GO OUT AND MEET PEOPLE AND SIGN AND TAKE PHOTOS, THEY’RE STILL GONNA DO IT.” – George Couri, Eli Young Band manager
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photos: (left) Donn Jones; (above) Nino Munoz
COUNTRY DJS by BRETT RATNER
About 15 years ago, a few electronic musical pioneers started sneaking Country snippets into their DJ sets at dance clubs. Meanwhile, at some Country bars, DJs were adding club beats to the records they were spinning.
FROM BOOT SCOOT TO BOOT UP THE COUNTRY
Today, a new crop of DJs have built national reputations specifically in Country Music. They keep the party going between sets and even add to the live show on major tours. One prominent practitioner, Dee Jay Silver, has even signed with RCA Records Nashville. DJs have achieved undeniable visibility in Country Music, through a combination of skills born and developed in other genres and finesse based on the particulars of our genre. To understand how, start with the terminology. Remixes and Mashups
A remix manipulates and rearranges elements from an original recording, adds beats, loops and other components and then assembles them to create a new musical entity. A mashup is a remix that takes two or more songs and blends them together. Typically, the songs getting mashed up have lyric and/or melodic themes that can play off each other. Before starting a remix, DJs try to gain access to the original multitrack recordings and “stem mixes,� which involve creating and processing groups of audio tracks separately before bringing them into the final master mix. This lets you pick and choose which parts of the song to use or not use. continued on page 12...
PHENOMENON DJ
photo: courtesy of Gino Genaro
MEET THE TOP DJS IN COUNTRY MUSIC AT CMACLOSEUP.COM.
DJ DU ROCKS I T AT M T. P L E A S A N T, MICHIGAN.
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... continued from page 11 Most DJs would remix Country songs similarly to how they would treat dance, house or hip-hop. But there are differences as well. Dee Jay Silver points to tempo as a particular challenge, especially with Country classics. “There were no click tracks or drum loops in those days,” he said. “It was recorded live. I’ll need to be riding the beat a little bit (i.e., making the original tracks sync with the drum loops).” Fortunately, software is available that offers means to manipulate tempo without affecting pitch. Silver, whose radio show “The Country Club with Dee Jay Silver” went into national syndication in April, strives in Country remixes to keep much of the original instrumentation intact and avoid adding heavy effects to them. “I want to keep Country Country,” he explained. “Country is guitar. Country is fiddle.” Another leader in the field, DJ DU, respects the original recordings too but doesn’t mind taking a few liberties, including manipulating instrumental tracks with loops and effects or even recording new parts. “I might drop in a different bass line, add a solo or cut my own guitar part,” said DU, who performed at the BMI Stage and after hours on Lower Broadway during last year’s CMA Music Festival. DJ Hish, meanwhile, says it’s not always possible to gain access to individual tracks for live and/or studio use. “I can’t just call up John Mellencamp and ask him for his stems,” he observed. Instead, he’ll create what he calls “redrums” by taking a two-track master and manipulating it with EQ, filters, sweeps and other effects. This helps him isolate elements of the track he wants before adding electronics. He’ll often start by removing the low end from the recording to minimize the drums and bass. “The great thing about Country Music is that the genre has expanded so dramatically,” said Hish, currently out with Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett and Eric Paslay on their “Let It Ride Tour.” “There are classic and modern songs that range from 75 BPM (beats per minute) and fit well with a hip-hop beat. And there are songs in the 128 BPM dance range. Country Music often uses strong guitar riffs that are easily recognized and therefore easy to use for intros to hook the crowd.” Rock the Stage
Anybody can get behind a laptop and press Play. What makes a top DJ different is the ability to make song selections that keep audiences engaged and excited — especially at concerts. While touring with Brad Paisley, Silver performed four songs with the band each night. To start each L I S A create M ATA S SaA drum S H A R E Sloop, A TA Sover T Y which song, he would often WA R M U P R O U T I N E W I T H F I D D E is to the musicians would add their parts. “My Ljob P L AY E R A N D R I A N O M E R K A N O .
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“I WANT TO KEEP COUNTRY COUNTRY.” – Dee Jay Silver
D E E J AY S I LV E R PUMPS UP T H E V O L U M E AT LP FIELD.
COUNTRY DJS build the intensity of the room and make it a big party,” he said. “You want to keep the energy as high as you can.” “A good DJ knows how to read the crowd on the fly,” Hish added. “When I DJ big Country shows, I feel like part of the party. I just happen to be on the stage.” “Now we’re front and center,” said DJ DU. “My goal is to throw a Kenny Chesney-style concert every night at the club.” Typically, he’ll get on the microphone to interact with the audience, venture out among the fans and even add live elements to the show by having a guitar, a keyboard and a drum machine plugged in for whenever inspiration strikes. Other times, DU will add tracks from local or regional artists or drop a snippet from a ballad that everyone can sing along to. “Free Bird” is a surefire option. Here to Stay?
photos: Jamie Vess; (right) courtesy of DJ Hish
“I see DJs helping Country reach a more crossover crowd,” DU suggested. “The future is original music,” Silver noted. “Country is in the digital age.” “You’re really starting to see a lot more of us out on the road,” Hish concluded. “Tour managers are starting to realize how easy it is to bring us along and how much more energy it brings to the event. No longer are people going to wait in line for the bathroom between sets. They’re holding their bladders and dancing with their beers raised.”
DJ HISH PERFORMS ON BRANTLEY G I L B E RT ’ S “ L E T I T R I D E TO U R . ”
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NEW ADVENTURES AWAIT AT CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL 2014 by BOB DOERSCHUK
GLOBAL COUNTRY ARTISTS Country artists from all over the globe will perform at CMA World GlobaLive!, on Monday, June 2, from 6 to 11:15 PM. Held on an outdoor stage on Broadway and First Avenue in Downtown Nashville, the concert is open to the
M A R S H A L T U C K E R BA N D
GOOD TIMES BEGIN AT CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL KICK-OFF CONCERT The 2014 CMA Music Festival blasts off in rockin’ style with the CMA Music Festival KickOff Concert on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage. The free event takes place Wednesday, June 4,
C M A WO R L D G L O BA L I V E ! H O S T DAV I D B R A D L E Y
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from 11 AM to 4:30 PM, in Downtown Nashville. Highlights include Shooter Jennings, making his CMA Music Fest debut and performing with the band that backed his father Waylon Jennings, Waymore’s Outlaws. And The Marshall Tucker Band returns for its second CMA Music Fest performance, following its triumphant set last year in the Walk of Fame Park. Other performers will include three-time Grammynominated bluegrass ensemble The Grascals, honky-tonk traditionalists Brazilbilly and an array of international Country artists: Canadians Lindsay Ell, Tim Hicks and Small Town Pistols, and Australia’s Morgan Evans.
photos: Bradley – Mark DeLong Photography; Jennings – James Minchin lll; MTB – Absolute Publicity
public. More than 150 artists were submitted for consideration to perform on the CMA World GlobaLive! Stage, according to Jeff Walker, CMA Board member and Executive Producer of CMA World GlobaLive!. “When evaluating artists to perform at the event, we look at several factors, including radio airplay, social awareness, touring schedules and media acceptance within their local territories,” said Walker. “We are excited about this year’s lineup and the surging popularity of Country Music overseas. By presenting shows like GlobaLive!, participating in events like C2C in the U.K., and the ongoing outreach to other international Country Music organizations, we are creating an environment to escalate the expansion of the Country Music brand internationally.” Performers at this year’s CMA World GlobaLive! concert include Australia’s Kaylens Rain, O’Shea, Tamara Stewart and Jared Porter; Canada’s Jaida Dreyer, Emerson Drive, Kira Isabella, Wes Mack and One More Girl; New Zealand’s Cameron Scott; and Sweden’s David Park. David Bradley of the U.K. will emcee.
S H O OT E R JENNINGS
SAMSUNG PREVIEWS ITS MUSIC FEST EXHIBIT AT CMACLOSEUP.COM.
CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
TA K E O F F A N D B O OT U P AT I N T E L’ S B O OT H .
LET THE BIDDING BEGIN!
You can contribute
to a great cause while also picking up one-of-a-
photos: merchandise – Christian Bottorff; Intel – courtesy of Intel
kind souvenirs at the CMA Celebrity Auction. At Fan Fair X, inside the Music City Center, visitors will be able to see and bid for items generously donated by members of the entertainment and music industry, corporate partners and community supporters. In the four years since The CMA Foundation launched the auction, more than $250,000 in proceeds have been donated to our Keep the Music Playing initiative on behalf of public school music education. This year’s highlights include autographed memorabilia from Ronnie Milsap, two tickets and meet-and-greets for Charlie Daniels, two Zac Brown Band show and “eat-andgreet” tickets, a flood-damaged guitar used and signed by Hank Williams Jr., an autographed Oak Ridge Boys vinyl LP, a package that includes two tickets, two meet-and-greets, airfare and hotel accommodations to any Chris Young show in the United States — and much more!
CMA CELEBRITY AUCTION ITEMS INCLUDE A FLOODDA M A G E D G U I TA R OW N E D A N D A U TO G R A P H E D B Y HANK WILLIAMS JR., AND A U TO G R A P H E D C H A R L I E WO R S H A M I T E M S .
TECHNOLOGY LEADERS DEBUT AS CMA MUSIC FEST SPONSORS
Returning CMA
Music Festival sponsor AT&T will present the CMA Music Festival app with a photo scavenger hunt for fans to participate in while on site. And Samsung debuts at the Samsung Galaxy Stage at the Walk of Fame Park, where it will treat Galaxy owners to exclusive opportunities while showcasing its new music-streaming platform, Milk. Another new sponsor, Intel, will be taking visitors on a virtual flight, on which “use of electronic devices,” problematic on actual high-altitude excursions, is fully allowed and encouraged. “We’re going to have airplane seats,” explained Laurie J. Koehler, Senior Activation Manager on Intel’s North Americas Marketing Consumer Campaign Team. “I call this ‘connected at 30,000 feet.’ We’ll have six rows of airplane seats with monitors next to them that play clouds moving by. And visitors will get to go on Facebook and do all the things that they actually would do if they were getting connected on an airplane.” At their space in Fan Fair X, Intel will give away one tablet powered by Intel each of the four Festival days. Intel will also showcase some of the latest 2-in-1 devices available on the market today. Why is CMA Music Fest an ideal place to invite the public to view the latest Intel products? “Our customers love technology, flock to technology and know how to use technology,” Koehler answered. “And with Country Music fans, the demographic fits. A lot of technology-loving individuals are passionate about everything they do. They can be passionate about music and technology, and we’re there to show them what we have to offer.” Note to those who attend the LP Field nighttime concerts: Intel is also giving away light-up LED pens to all who stop by the Intel booth and use the “Intel and You” photo app — perfect for holding up as your favorites perform.
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FROM “KEROSENE” TO SLOW, STEADY BURN THE EVOLUTION OF
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MIRANDA LAMBERT
by by KIP KIP KIRBY KIRBY MIRANDA LAMBERT HAS FOLLOWED HER PATH WITH THE SUREFOOTEDNESS OF A HIGH-WIRE AERIALIST WHO PREFERS WORKING WITHOUT A NET. BETTING ON HERSELF, STICKING TO HER CONVICTIONS, DOUBLING DOWN WHEN CAUTION MIGHT HAVE SEEMED THE WISER CHOICE – EVERY RISK SHE TOOK AND EVERY DUE SHE PAID LED DIRECTLY TO HER PERCH AT THE TOP. “I didn’t go to college because I knew I’d just be wasting my parents’ money. I told them, ‘If you’ll let me pursue music, I’ll make it work.’ At 19, going into Nashville record labels and saying, ‘Hey, I’m gonna do this my way or I’m not gonna do it’ … What was I thinking?” said CMA’s reigning Female Vocalist of the Year, laughing at her own early self-assurance. “I could have lost everything right then! But I knew I had to make the music I wanted to make and sing about what I wanted to sing about. I never was tempted to go in a direction I wasn’t comfortable with. Playing it safe has never been an option.” Few could argue now with her choices. In a male-dominated radio landscape, she is one of the few women in the genre to enjoy consistent airplay, critical acclaim, role-model status and major honors, including seven CMA Awards. Her appeal crosses gender lines, thanks to a Molotov mix of shotgun spunk and naked emotional vulnerability. All of these qualities are evident on Platinum, the fifth in Lambert’s line of successful album releases and another formidable display of her songwriting and performance talents. It also underscores her clout that she kept all 16 of the songs she wanted to include. “My record label probably had a heart attack,” she said, smiling. “But luckily I have good enough managers to have talked them down off the ledge.” “Automatic,” written by Lambert, Nicolle Galyon and Natalie Hemby, became the highest-charting debut single of Lambert’s career after its February release. Like everything else on Platinum, it conveys a personal message, in this case by reflecting on her struggles to stay grounded amidst the turbulence of success. “Everything has happened so quickly that it gets hard to live in the moment,” she admitted. “I try to find moments to just sit back and think, ‘Is this really my life?’ I’m very goal-driven. When I achieve one, I set the next, which is good because that drives you. But it doesn’t give you any time to rest and enjoy what you just did. I have such a great life. I have such a great husband. I’m so fortunate. I need to appreciate the little things too, not just the big things. That’s why I wanted ‘Automatic’ to be my single, because its message is so poignant for where I am and everyone else is today.” Frank Liddell, who has been producing Lambert since the start, sees Platinum as a career milestone, rich with hints of her refusal to compromise. “The great thing about Miranda is that she’s never been scared,” he said. “She has always stayed in tune with who she is as a person and has translated that as an artist. She has real confidence now. She doesn’t get caught up in worrying about what everybody expects of her. She just puts her head down and does what she
photo: Randee St. Nicholas
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“PLAYING IT SAFE HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION.”
PRODUCER FRANK LIDDELL A N D L A M B E RT
wants to do. With this new record, I think she feels a closer connection to this group of songs than she ever has.” During the Platinum sessions, Lambert relished the experience of inviting some of her heroes and peers to join in as guest artists. Little Big Town appears as a result of a conversation with Karen Fairchild about “Smokin’ and Drinkin’” (Hemby, Luke Laird and Shane McAnally), a song that Lambert had on hold. “Karen said, ‘We’ve heard the song and if you don’t want it, we’ll take it,’” she recalled. “I told her, ‘Well, hey, I want to have harmonies and sound like a bunch of people singing around a campfire, so why don’t you guys just sing on it with me?’”
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For “Somethin’ Bad” (Chris DeStefano, Brett James and Priscilla Renea), Lambert chose Carrie Underwood for the vocal thrash-out. “I respect Carrie so much as an artist, as a singer and as a female,” Lambert said. “She’s strong and smart, and we’re two of a kind the way we’ve had to work to get where we are. I was nervous to ask her because I didn’t know how she’d feel about it, but she was right on board.” Lambert added that having Underwood in the studio “pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me step up to the plate to be sure I was on top of my own game.” But no moment in the recording process gave Lambert
photo: Blu Sanders
– Miranda Lambert
MIRANDA LAMBERT
photo: Teresa Montgomery
a case of rookie nerves as much as working with Vince Gill and the legendary Time Jumpers on “All That’s Left,” a Tom T. and Dixie Hall song she had heard on a bluegrass station while driving home from a Beyoncé concert in Dallas. “I was so nervous and excited to have The Time Jumpers singing on my record that I couldn’t get my act together,” Lambert insisted. “It was crazy. I had to go back into the studio later and sing my part after everybody was gone.” Surprisingly for fans who have watched her grow up before their eyes, Lambert is now 30. She has already left an indelible mark with songs that include “Gunpowder and Lead” (Lambert and Heather Little), “Mama’s Broken Heart” (Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves) and “White Liar” (Hemby and Lambert). But she senses a subtle, shifting wisdom and maturity in herself now. She knows that her choices matter. And so far, she says, so good. “I’ve had the exact career I would want,” she said. “I didn’t shoot to the top immediately. It’s been a slow, steady burn. And I got to do it the right way — my way. I think Platinum is exactly the album I need right now. It’s who I am and where I am at this moment in my life.” She hesitated, then continued. “You know, at 30, it’s a whole different set of problems to write about but also a whole different set of good things. I really feel like I’m just getting started. I’ve got 10 years behind me but hopefully 30 more ahead.” MirandaLambert.com; @MirandaLambert
PREVIEW MIRANDA’S PLATINUM STAGE SET AT CMACLOSEUP.COM.
“NASHVILLE S TA R ” F I N A L I S T M I R A N DA L A M B E RT P E R F O R M S AT THE GREASED LIGHTNING R I V E R F R O N T PA R K S TA G E S D U R I N G THE 2004 CMA M U S I C F E S T I VA L .
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VOCAL CARE
SAY AAAH!
ADVICE FOR SINGERS ON VOCAL MAINTENANCE by TRICIA DESPRES
There was a time when voice disorders were mainly about crisis management. But recently, preventative treatment has become important, especially in Nashville, where the voice is one’s moneymaker. “For many years when we saw an artist, it was very hush-hush,” said Dr. Gaelyn Garrett, Medical Director at the Vanderbilt Voice Center and an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. “It was literally taboo to think something was wrong or say that something was wrong. Artists were scared. If they weren’t working, they weren’t getting paid, their band members weren’t getting paid, their agents weren’t getting paid … The list went on and on. “But I think the labels now all recognize that it’s like professional sports — a knee injury is going to take out a football player as much as a voice injury is going to take out a singer,” adds Garrett, whose clients have included Gary Allan and Josh Turner. “It behooves them to proceed with some preventative management.” Besides the more serious vocal ailments that can occur, day-to-day problems with one’s voice can be common. Often, these nagging vocal issues are the result of a number of factors.
“Not having enough breath support is going to end up straining the muscles around the larynx, which is something we are seeing a lot of now.” MUSCLE ISSUES “Any sort of neck or shoulder or back issues are going to have a secondary effect on how one uses their voice,” she added. “I have had patients who simply changed the way they were holding their guitar and ended up with some changes in their voice. We have gone so far as incorporating a physical therapy group at the Vanderbilt Voice Center that we feel are just as important as our speech pathologists.” LACK OF WARM-UP TIME “I spend a good amount of time in the shower on show days doing the scales and slowly bring my voice up to where it’s supposed to be,” said Allan, who now goes into the Vanderbilt Voice Center for annual checkups. “If I do 10 shows in a row and I can’t talk, I’m going to have to warm up all day, starting with a bit of humming in the morning to get things going.” LOUD SETTINGS “If I sing for two hours and then you put me in a loud room, talking over that noise just kills me,” said Turner. “To cut through that noise with a lower voice takes so much effort that it’s undoubtedly going to end up affecting my singing voice.” “If 100 percent of voice performers could come into my office when everything is OK, we could have a baseline exam when they were in good voice that we could always go back to compare it to,” said Garrett, whose office hallways are filled with Gold albums of the singers she and the Vanderbilt Voice Center team has treated, many through CMA Instrumental Healthcare. “These performers live extraordinary lives with very busy schedules. But for the ones who do come in to see our team, getting them back on the road is the only thanks I need.”
FOR MORE ON CMA INSTRUMENTAL HEALTHCARE, VISIT
CMA.PANCOSTBENEFITS.COM.
“IF I DO 10 SHOWS IN A ROW AND I CAN’T TALK, I’M GOING TO HAVE TO WARM UP ALL DAY.” –Gary Allan Dr. Gaelyn Garrett
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photo: John Russell/Vanderbilt
LACK OF SLEEP “Lack of energy is often going to mean lack of breath support,” Garrett said.
JOHN RICH
John Rich remembers when he got the idea.
photo: Joe Hardwick for Redneck Riviera
It was the spring of 2008. He was sitting on the wharf in Gulf Shores, Alabama, sipping a beer and watching the crowds go by. When he glanced down at his drink, he noticed it was wrapped in a koozie that read, “Gulf Shores, in the heart of the Redneck Riviera.” Rich thought, “Wow, that’s such a great phrase! I wonder who owns it.” So he called his attorney, never imagining that the answer to his question would be ... nobody! In that moment, Redneck Riviera, LLC, was born. “You talk about a light bulb going off in your head,” Rich recalled. “I couldn’t believe it! But I said, ‘Well, if nobody else is gonna do anything with it, I am.’” Less than a month after its online kickoff and spring break concert/ launch party during March in Panama City, Florida, Redneck Riviera’s website has racked up more than 10,000 email signups. Their line includes more than 40 tanks and tees for men and women, plus caps, accessories, koozies, license plates, decals and stickers. Plans are underway for a mass retail entry into brick-and-mortar stores in 2015. On the drawing board are Redneck Riviera slot machines, white and gold rums, beverages and foods, boots, denim, sunglasses, watches and, according to Rich, maybe even a Redneck Riviera Bar & Grill someday. “Redneck Riviera is a way of life,” he explained. “Everybody relates to it, no matter where you live or where you’re from, whether you’re a redneck or not. It’s about people who work hard and play harder, people who hunt and fish and go camping and boating and take spring breaks and throw down at sports events every weekend. It’s not a zip code or a geographical address. Redneck Riviera is a state of mind.” continued on page 22 ...
IT ALL STARTS WITH A KOOZIE JOHN RICH LAUNCHES A LIFESTYLE BRAND by KIP KIRBY
“IT’S NOT A ZIP CODE OR A GEOGRAPHICAL ADDRESS. REDNECK RIVIERA IS A STATE OF MIND.” – John Rich
Seated onstage at Panama City, Florida (l-r): DJ Sinister, Meghan Mullins, Cowboy Troy, John Rich, Big Kenny and Tyler Farr. CMACLOSEUP.COM
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... continued from page 21
“This relationship has given us a very good understanding of the Southern lifestyle – Southern hospitality, Southern consumers and Southern retail markets,” said Milin Shah, business development manager for Earthbound. “So when John approached us with this opportunity, we were very, very excited.” Earthbound licensed The Game, a division of Delta Apparel, to handle development, design, distribution and social media for Redneck Riviera, with Rich positioned as brand ambassador.
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photos: Joe Hardwick for Redneck Riviera
Having secured legal rights to the name, Rich moved forward with what he wryly called “uncharacteristic patience,” educating himself on how to bring his vision for Redneck Riviera to reality. Realizing that he would need an expert team of business partners experienced in design, manufacturing, sourcing and distribution, he signed on with Earthbound LLC, the licensing company that paired high-end fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi with Target and QVC. It didn’t hurt that Earthbound also represents the magazine Southern Living.
JOHN RICH
“The thing that got us excited in the first place was the power of John Rich and the marketing and passion that he has behind this project,” noted Doug Allen, Director, Merchandising and Product Development, Delta Apparel. “It’s one thing to launch a new brand. But when you’re launching a new brand with a celebrity like this, who’s well known and has great connections, you know it’s going to be a much more accelerated launch than normal.” Allen adds that his company’s working relationship with Rich is not that of a typical licensee and licensor. “We run every design, every concept and every piece of fabric by John,” he said. “He has a definite vision for this brand, so we want to be sure we’re 100 percent aligned with it. He and I text, call and email each other at least twice a day. Not a thing goes on with Redneck Riviera that John’s not involved and hands-on with.” Rich plans to attend all four days of this year’s CMA Music Festival, in a Redneck Riviera tent near Riverfront Park, signing autographs, overseeing giveaways and bringing other artists in for the festivities. As part of the launch, Polaris has designed a souped-up Redneck Riviera four-wheel ATV that fans can vie to win by texting the word “Redneck” to 33233. Rich promises to deliver the vehicle personally to the winner, who will be announced at the end of the year. Shah hopes that T-shirt slogans such as “Camo Is the New Black,” “Blue Water, White Sand, Rednecks” and “Hang Ten, Y’all” will help generate momentum for the new brand. “Our company specializes in developing a niche into a very successful brand partnership,” he said. “With Redneck Riviera and John, we see a way to key into the Southern lifestyle in a way that other brands may not have been able to do. We haven’t seen a brand that really captures the emotion of the South the way Redneck Riviera does. And John Rich is the perfect celebrity to embody all this.” For his part, Rich prefers to downplay the celebrity angle and instead focus on the cachet and legacy of a term that he believes should belong to the American vernacular. “At the end of the day, what I am is a songwriter and musician,” he reflected. “I started with Lonestar at 18. I’m 40 now. Twenty-two years in the music business has taught me that if you really believe in something, you need to give it time. You have to be willing to bet on yourself. What I’m doing isn’t cheap. It’s a big commitment. It takes a lot of time and energy and money to secure trademarks, assemble business partners and maintain a day-to-day presence with every facet of the business. But it’s something I can see myself playing with forever. DO YOU HAVE A “The day will come when nobody REDNECK RIVIERA STATE wants to hear a 50- or 60-year-old version of me sing ‘Save a Horse, Ride OF MIND? FIND OUT AT a Cowboy.’ But I can have fun with Redneck Riviera for years to come.” JohnRich.com; RedneckRiviera.com @RedneckRiviera; @JohnRich
CMACLOSEUP.COM.
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[ RONNIE MILSAP AND MAC WISEMAN ]
C M A A N N O U N C E S 2 0 1 4 I N D U C T E E S I N T O I T S C O U N T R Y M U S I C H A L L O F FA M E
HANK COCHRAN, RONNIE MILSAP and MAC WISEMAN by BOB DOERSCHUK
On the morning of April 22, members of the media gathered in the hallowed Rotunda within the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to hear who would become the newest inductees into CMA’s Country Music Hall of Fame.
A
fter welcoming remarks from CMA CEO Sarah Trahern and Kyle Young, Director of the Museum, emcee Kix Brooks introduced the first of three special guests, each one heralding a new member. Bobby Bare began by revealing that Hank Cochran had been voted into the Hall in the “Songwriter” category, which rotates every three years with the “Recording and/or Touring Musician Active Prior to 1980” and “Non-Performer” categories. Former CMA Executive Director Jo Walker-Meador then announced Mac Wiseman as this year’s inductee in the “Veterans Era Artist” category. And Hunter Hayes heralded Ronnie Milsap as the latest “Modern Era Artist” to
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JO WALKER-MEADOR AND MAC WISEMAN
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES 2014 be welcomed into the Hall. Following Bare’s comments, Suzi Cochran spoke briefly but emotionally for her late husband. “I always believed that Hank would go into the Country Music Hall of Fame, but I never dreamt I would be here without him. … He would have loved to have been here today to thank the nominating committee, the CMA and all of his friends through the years to share this glorious and wonderful day.” After Walker-Meador’s introduction, Wiseman used most of his time to recall his friendship with Cochran. In particular, he talked about encountering the songwriter many years ago at a baseball game: “I had a thermos bottle sitting beside my leg. Hank said, ‘What is that?’ I said, ‘That’s a thermos bottle.’ He said, ‘What does it do?’ I said, ‘It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold.’” A week or two later, he ran into Cochran again at the ballpark. Noticing that he too had a thermos bottle, Wiseman asked what he had in it. “He said, ‘A cup of coffee and a popsicle.’” Hayes spoke movingly of his love for Milsap and his work before bringing out the man he called “my hero.” The eight-time CMA Award winner was honest in expressing his lifelong desire to receive this highest distinction in Country Music. “I guess it’s what I’ve always dreamed of,” he admitted. “To be finally recognized, I thank you. I’m so grateful. I’m so honored. And I want to do things continually to make you proud, the Country Music Hall of Fame.” The new inductees, friends, family and guests joined an assembly of artists and music industry dignitaries in the Museum’s new, 10,000-squarefoot Event Hall for a celebratory lunch and an entertaining discussion, moderated by Brooks, involving Milsap, Wiseman and, on behalf of Cochran, his longtime friend Bare. All three honorees will be formally inducted later this year in the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
BOBBY BARE with SUZI COCHRAN
photos by: Alan Poizner and Kayla Schoen
JOHN ESPOSITO, DEBORAH ALLEN and BOBBY BRADDOCK
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE INDUCTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS AT CMACLOSEUP.COM
KIX BROOKS interviews RONNIE MILSAP and MAC WISEMAN
JAMEY JOHNSON and BOBBY BARE
CMACLOSEUP.COM
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Dierks Bentley A Life Set to Song on Riser by VERNELL HACKETT
One of the most intimate of its tracks is “Damn These Dreams” (written by Bentley, Ross Copperman and Jaren Johnston), in which Bentley recalls the first time he heard a Hank Williams song and how from that point forward it was all about the music. A move to Nashville and a successful career followed, as did marriage and soon thereafter children. “Damn These Dreams” captures Bentley’s pain at having to leave home and those he loves to follow his other love, music. “The song is so personal, it almost didn’t make the record,” Bentley admitted. “It’s about two dreams, making music and having a family, and the two colliding. Music was my first love, and in many ways it still is. It’s not a competition, (but) it’s always going to be there with my family and music.” Bentley decided to include the song after his drummer, Steve Misamore, told him it was his favorite song the singer had ever written. “He said, ‘That is so you! It has to be on this record. I can’t even believe you’re not thinking of putting it in.’” Bentley was adamant that he record only the best material for Riser, no matter who wrote it. To ensure that this goal be achieved, he brought in longtime friend Arturo Buenahora Jr. as Executive Producer. “I understood that he wanted to reflect what was going on in his life,” said Buenahora, who heads the Little Louder Music publishing company and formerly served as Senior Director of Creative Services and Production at Sony/ATV. “Recording the project was a two-year process. A lot happened to him as a man, a father and a son during that time. When we finished, we felt like we had captured that.” The overall theme of Riser is discovery and allowing fans a more intimate glimpse into Bentley. To that end, his manager, Mary Hilliard Harrington, suggested he make a documentary of his life and the things he was going through. “We could hear that in the music, from the first songs he turned in from the first writing sessions,” she said. “I knew early on that this was going to be more of an album project in a singles-driven world and that we would need to tell the story of the entire project in order for the fans to truly understand and appreciate it. I hope the documentary helps do that.” Directed by Wes Edwards and premiered on CMT in February, “Dierks Bentley: Riser” is less a music video than it is a candid, slice-of-life documentary. When first approached about it, Bentley was skeptical. “I didn’t feel like I had time,” he said. “I had my hands full trying to tour and finish a record, and I didn’t want to add more work to that. Mary pushed me into doing it, but once we started I was like, ‘Thank God we are doing this.’ “It’s an interesting time in my life right now, having these kids at a certain age, going full bore with my career, my
photo: Nino Muñoz
continued on page 28...
photo: Nino Muñoz
Any successful career requires time away from home. No one knows that better than Dierks Bentley. And few artists are as willing to share what this means in song, as Bentley does on his most personal album to date, Riser.
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DIERKS BENTLEY
“MUSIC WAS MY FIRST LOVE, AND IN MANY WAYS IT STILL IS.” – Dierks Bentley CMACLOSEUP.COM
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DIERKS BENTLEY
dad passing away, my son being born,” he continued. “I’m glad we captured it all. You see the show and backstage, but you also see me in my kitchen and me pushing the kids on the swing. And you’re in the hospital with us when Knox was born. It’s pretty personal.” “The video is just as I envisioned it,” Harrington said. “It gives a complete picture of Dierks and this album. I love the moments with Evie, Jordan and Knox because it shows what an incredible dad he is. I get choked up hearing him talk about his dad Leon because I know what a special relationship they had.” After the recording was completed, Capitol Records Nashville released “Bourbon in Kentucky” (Ryan Tyndell, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson) as its first single. With its theme of drowning the pain of lost love in drink, it wasn’t exactly a typical summer-fun song for the season. Some radio stations even declined to play it. “I was proud we put that one out there first, even though we knew
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DIERKS BENTLEY REMEMBERS BEING A CMA MUSIC FEST INTERN AT CMACLOSEUP.COM
it was against the grain,” Bentley said. “I got honest feedback from radio. Some guys just said, ‘When we play it, it is so real and honest, it just sticks out in the midst of these summertime radio songs.’” Capitol decided not to release Riser as early as first announced, which proved be a blessing in disguise for Bentley. “I would love for ‘Bourbon’ to have been a hit for the songwriters, but it allowed me to step back, write some more songs and incorporate all the fun I had on the road with Miranda (Lambert) on the ‘Locked & Reloaded Tour.’” Bentley’s “Riser” tour kicked off May 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Jon Pardi, Chase Rice and Chris Young. “These guys have so much energy and they are fired up to be out there,” the headliner said. “ I want it to be a testosterone-driven, fist-pumping deal. I’m throwing everything into it. I’m going out as if it were the last tour of my life.” Dierks.com, @DierksBentley
photos: (left) Donn Jones; (right) Nino Muñoz
D I E R K S B E N T L E Y R O C K S L P F I E L D AT T H E 2 0 1 3 C M A M U S I C F E S T I VA L
... continued from page 26
DEBUT ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
NATALIE STOVALL AND THE DRIVE
photo: Kristin Barlowe
photo: Jim McGuire
S
ince 2006, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Stovall, drummer James Bavendam, guitarist Miguel Cancino, guitarist/singer Joel Dormer and bassist/singer Zach Morse have chiseled their sound through a merciless tour regimen of more than 200 shows per year. By early 2013, when HitShop Records President Skip Bishop caught their act and signed them up, Campus Activities Magazine had already dubbed Natalie Stovall and The Drive Entertainers of the Year. They’ve cut some strong songs for their upcoming debut album. More striking, though, is how they perform them, with assurance, intelligence and passion. Rather than pound away on autopilot, they tweak the rhythm, often teasing but never really hitting the second and fourth beats until midway through the chorus. Check out “Baby, Come On With It” (written by Chris DeStefano, Jerry Flowers and Bobby Hamrick): A guitar chunks between the eighthnote pulse and a banjo prickles on the verses. Then a switch to half-time slams on the brakes just before everyone explodes into a whip-cracking backbeat. Above all, there is Stovall. She is, put simply, a thrilling singer, with an ideal blend of chops and taste. Her ominous purr at the top of “Bones” (Keith Gattis) mirrors The Q Who is your dream duet partner? Band Perry’s fondness for murder A STOVALL: “Where do I begin? ballads. And by holding back Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, until nailing a dramatic high note Steven Tyler, Miranda Lambert, in “Long Way Around” (Natalie Dolly Parton ....” Stovall and Micah Wilshire), this Tennessee dynamo proves that Q What is your favorite food while on the road? she gets how to animate a lyric A STOVALL: “Cracker Barrel! Mmmm and electrify her audience at the same time. … wish I had some meatloaf NatalieStovall.com; right now! And a to-go box.” @NatalieStovall
M
MARY SARAH
ary Sarah may keep her last name secret, but she’s no secret to the legends who guest on her first album, Bridges, produced by Kent Wells, executive produced by Freddy Powers and scheduled to release July 18 on Cleopatra Records. She nails stratospheric notes with Ronnie Milsap on “What a Difference You’ve Made in My Life,” matches Tanya Tucker sass for sass on “Texas When I Die,” swaggers with Merle Haggard on “The Fightin’ Side of Me,” soars while also digging into the lyric with Dolly Parton on “Jolene” … and, in a surprising coup de grâce, channels Connie Francis, complete with teary teenage angst, on “Where the Boys Are,” with the song’s co-writer Neil Sedaka chiming along. And she makes it all sound easy, as if all these folks had been her babysitters as she grew up. In fact, Mary Sarah had a normal upbringing in Richmond, part of the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. When she started singing at age 8, though, things started to change. Joe Bonsall caught one of her YouTube performances and immediately invited her to sing with the Oak Ridge Q Who’s your musical hero? Boys at their next show. Equally impressed, songwriter Freddy Powers alerted Lynn A “The late, great Thomas Anderson, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Ray Corley. He was my piano Price and other friends to check her out. All teacher and helped me ended up joining her in the studio for this discover my voice.” remarkable project. Q What mode of transportation This is a tough debut album to follow, do you prefer? but at 18, Mary Sarah is ready to sail on A “I love golf carts.” her own. MarySarah.com; @MarySarahMusic
[ MIGUEL CANCINO, JOEL DORMER, NATALIE STOVALL, JAMES BAVENDAM and ZACH MORSE ]
Debut Spotlight compiled by BOB DOERSCHUK
FOR MORE Q&A RESPONSES, MUSIC, VIDEO AND OTHER INFORMATION ON DEBUT SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS, PLEASE VISIT CMACLOSEUP.COM CMACLOSEUP.COM
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CONTRIBUTORS TRICIA DESPRES
CMA CLOSE UP
(Vocal Care, page 20) has written for Country Weekly, Advertising Age, Chicago Sun Times and other publications.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
WENDY PEARL
EDITOR BOB DOERSCHUK DESIGN EVAMARIE OGLANDER
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
TRISHA DESPRES | VERNELL HACKETT | LORIE HOLLABAUGH | KIP KIRBY | BRETT RATNER
PROOFREADERS DEB BARNES | BLISS BOWEN
VERNELL HACKETT (Dierks Bentley, page 26) thanks Bobby Bare for telling her to hang out with songwriters because they have the most fun.
LORIE HOLLABAUGH
CMA STAFF EXECUTIVE SARAH TRAHERN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MECHALLE MYERS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT COMMUNICATIONS
WENDY PEARL JAY JONES BOB DOERSCHUK MARIA ECKHARDT COURTNEY BEEBE
(Eli Young Band, page 7) hung out backstage at the Grand Ole Opry whenever family friend Tex Ritter played the illustrious stage.
KIP KIRBY (Miranda Lambert, page 16 and Redneck Riviera, page 21)
BRANDI SIMMS TIFFANY KERNS BRENDEN OLIVER CARRIE TEAKAUTZ
(Country Music DJs, page 11) has written, produced and played on songs used in almost 300 TV episodes, radio ads and movies.
CATHERINE BLACKWELL BEN BENNETT AMANDA ECKARD CHRISTIAN BOTTORFF SCOTT FRANS MARY GELLOTT AMANDA HORENKAMP MARTY FILOGAMO
NATALIE WILSON
MANAGER OF MEDIA RELATIONS COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR MEMBERSHIP AND BALLOTING SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND BALLOTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER COORDINATOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND BALLOTING MEMBERSHIP AND BALLOTING ASSISTANT
DAMON WHITESIDE LARA HENLEY MICHELLE JACOBS LAUREN CHAPMAN
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER OF CREATIVE SERVICES DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER MEDIA MANAGER SENIOR COORDINATOR OF MARKETING JR. WEB DESIGNER / PRODUCTION COORDINATOR MARKET RESEARCH SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKET RESEARCH SENIOR COORDINATOR OF MARKET RESEARCH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS SENIOR VP OF MARKETING AND PARTNERSHIPS SENIOR MANAGER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ASSISTANT FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
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imply an opinion on the part of the officers, directors, members or staff of CMA. ©2014 Country Music Association®, Inc. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. CMA Close Up is a registered trademark owned by CMA. CHRIS CRAWFORD All logos and photos used by permission. VILMA SALINAS CMA Close Up (ISSN 0896-372X) is the official bimonthly publication of CMA. Available KRIS KENNEDY to CMA members only. CMA Close Up subscription price of $25 per year is included in DIANE BEARDEN-ENRIGHT membership dues. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tenn. GREG PITMAN Postmaster: send address changes to CMA Membership PLEASE RECYCLE One Music Circle South, Nashville, Tenn. 37203-4312. MAGAZINE MANDI NAYLOR THIS CMA CLOSE UP
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DIRECTOR OF MEDIA RELATIONS
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writes for Country Weekly and Songwriter’s Digest among KAREN STUMP many other publications.
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MANAGER OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES SENIOR MANAGER OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR SENIOR ACCOUNTANT MANAGER OF OPERATIONS SENIOR TECHNICAL SERVICES COORDINATOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR OPERATIONS ASSISTANT RECEPTIONIST LIVE EVENTS SENIOR DIRECTOR OF LIVE EVENTS SENIOR MANAGER OF EVENT LOGISTICS SENIOR MANAGER OF EVENTS SENIOR MANAGER OF MEETINGS AND LOGISTICS PRODUCTION MANAGER LIVE EVENTS COORDINATOR
ENCORE
MAC WISEMAN
photo: CMA Archive
performs at the 1978 Fan Fair.
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COMING IN THE AUG/SEPT 2014 ISSUE OF CMA CLOSE UP • Highlights of CMA Music Festival 2014 • Little Big Town’s Adventures at CMA Music Fest • Dustin Lynch Steps Up His Game • A Writer’s Guide to Copyright Retrieval • Cowboy Jack Clement’s Last Ride • Lee Brice Previews His Next Album • Country Stars Dish on Touring with Pets LIVE ON CMACLOSEUP.COM • Eli Young Band Puts Fans First • Join John Rich’s Redneck Riviera Party • Radney Foster Songwriting Clinic • New Music from Jamie O’Neal
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